I think someone took a video of Tmac and Red 17 at the end of the dance. (Must be Tmac - he's got his tux on and Red looks a fair treat -- nice pipes too!! :smoking::smoking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDTt6CrUPo8

Nice dress RED17 !

Tom, you old devil you. :wink:

Did you see how I made the shoes to match? I do like green.

Sorry about that, Miss 17, I should have remembered you had set your sights higher. Best not get a Lt Colonel out of the Glasshouse, he would only be in for some heinous crime, such as embezzling Officers' Mess funds.

If I can get Admiral Sir William to divert into Dartmouth on our way down channel, I'm sure we could find a spare Vice Admiral for you at the Royal Naval College. Now there would be a proper gentleman for you. He might even turn out the guard of honour with a Marines Band to welcome you ashore! We will be perfectly safe navigating into the harbour, and mooring on the buoys near the College. Both Sir William and I know the river like the backs of our hands. If we stay for a couple of days to continue the on board entertainment, we can impress the locals on Town Quay with Sir William's personal tender. Smartly turned out with gleaming paintwork, brass and varnish, powered by those new V16 GM diesels that TMac installed recently, we can earn a bit of cash by running 5 minute trips down to visit Dartmouth Castle. Although there is a speed limit in the river, we will be OK because they would never keep up with us to give us a ticket! :supercool:

Hmmm, a Vice Admiral, could be interesting Butterfly. The Navy Officers always do look dapper in their clean white uniforms. How long before we get to Dartmouth? I would like to have the time to attend to my paintwork and varnish before we get there, mustn't let the image of the GD suffer.

Bit of a touch-up round the boot topping, you'll look fit to welcome anyone aboard. Just don't let anyone lose with a chipping hammer.

and when the tides right we can nip up to Totnes. Great cheese shop just over the bridge on the left.

And a few beers in the Royal Seven Stars too.

Sarfend on Sea to Dartmouth at normal service speed; one day.

Sarfend on Sea to Dartmouth at normal GDII service speed; 12 hours.

Sarfend on Sea to Dartmouth, if somebody touches the Big Red Button; yesterday.

Dartmouth - I get a nervous tick and shivers down my spine any time somebody mentions visiting that place!!!

If we are putting in there though to find a spare Vice Admiral we had better be prepared for some serious visitors who will notice anything wrong.

I will get the cut-outs "buffer's party" started straight away.

McC

Don't anyone touch the Boot-Topping. There's a vintage selection of that along with the casks of White Gloss in the Bo'sun's Store. We only break out those, along with the specially engraved pewter mugs with the glass bottoms for exceedingly special occasions. :king:

While you're at it Mr. McCloggie, perhaps you could supervise some cut-outs to service all the doors aboard the GD. Since the passing of our door man, Jim Barnes some time ago, several doors have developed squeaks (not to be confused with Squeeks) and some are mis-aligned and tend to jamb. :smoking:

Dartskipper - Yellow button will suffice - there in 4 hours -- give us time to shine our shoes, put on a clean shirt (Tmac exempt) and shave. We can "hob-nob" with the best of them. I think that Sir William and I can wear our dress swords and put new grommets in our caps to impress even the most fastidious. :)

oh we can indeed Tom. just have to watch out for learner drivers (trainee mine sweeper skippers)as we enter. Almost got hit there once as we were leaving there was one coming in at speed. a quick full astern both saved the day.

I remember those days well, young cadets let loose on the river with anything that floated, including picket boats, whalers, sailing dinghies, and even the occasional Fairey Huntress. All part of an afternoon's entertainment.

(An Instructor actually came all the way to our booking office in Torquay after an incident when a small open launch actually rammed the Kiloran II. He made certain that we understood it wasn't his fault, but an unfortunate misinterpretation of the signals being given by the trainee cox'n on the helm. It seemed that the lad working the engine controls mistook the signal for Full Astern for Full Ahead. The P.O. Instructor apologised for the accident, and said that our deckhand was quite right to use the colourful language that he addressed the occupants of the launch with. I think our deckhand called them all a "Useless great bunch of steaming *x-'?!-x-x-x-x.....*")

Alas as a poor injuneer I can't afford to buy a shirt never mind possess a clean one :( as for shaving.... I simply burn the bristles off with a blowlamp

Attention deckie crowd up on the bridge thingy who do the driving.

I have installed a BIG PINK button for the exclusive use of our lady crew members (specifically Red 17) what it does is highly secret and must NOT be pressed by any male member :smoking: WHAT AM I SAYING !!!!!!!!! sorry any male CREW member ......... oops:chuckle:

Remember injuneers are all knowing and I shall be aware of any male crew type person indulging in unauthorised activity with a knob :shock:

Take her in Dartskpper -- you seem to be familiar with these waters. Sir Wiliam and I will stand on the wing of the bridge to accept nothing less than a 21 gun salute from the pierhead. :smoking::smoking:

Give a good blast on the BIG horn. let Dartmouth know we are here.

Don't forget the price of window glass has gone up a lot, and any roofing work costs a fortune.

OH well, you're the boss.

PHHRRRRROOOOOAAAAAMMMMPP P P P PHHHH

That should wake 'em up.

HOI !!!! it costs a lot of money to make steam and you are blowing it up the whistle.... what's wrong with the 'lectrick one then?..... injuneers work is never done.... mutter mumble moan.....:(

OK, we've had a whip-round.

PHHRRRRROOOOOAAAAAMMMMPP P P P PHHHH

Worth 10p apiece.

I feel a lot better for that, and we may as well do it, we've broken anything that could be blasted.

Anyone put their hand in their pocket for another one?

Ah well, that's woken up all the patients in the Hospital on the quay. Mind you, look at those ferries go, I've never seen them get out of the way like that before. Oooops, that lower ferry went full ahead so fast that all the cars shot off the stern loading ramp. I hope the owners all had insurance. Now, slow ahead to observe the 6 knots limit. There's Britannia RN College up there on the hill. Looks like they've broken out a brand new extra large White Ensign too. Must be expecting important guests. Dead slow for a few minutes to let the Higher Ferry paddle across. Don't want to catch one of its guide wires on a prop or rudder. All clear now, slow ahead up to Old Mill Creek where we can swing and drop down onto the buoys in the stream off Sandquay. Stop Starboard engine, slow ahead Port, hard a'starboard. Steady, slow ahead both. Bow mooring party at the ready. Lower a sea boat so we can drop a buoy jumper onto the buoy. There we go, nicely stemming the flood tide now. Stop both. Drop the wire down to the jumper so that he can shackle on. Now the stern party can moor to the buoy astern of us. Good, crossed forearms signal from the bow and stern parties tell me we are safely secured.

Finished with engines.

Send a fresh bottle of Black Bush down to Chief so he can whet his whistle.

Free beers for the deck crew. Very smartly done Mr McCloggie, you have trained your gang well.

Get the owner's barge ready alongside the companionway, VIP's going ashore.

Oh, neatly done. I must take notes on that, I always say "Carry on you chaps" and see what happens, most people know what they are up to.

Dartskipper, you've been here before.